i met a stranger today. a shop clerk in the netherlands. a black girl. when i spoke in english to her, she stopped. and looked at me.
then she asked me if i was an american.
yes, i said.
she shook her head.
will you vote? she asked.
yes. i couldn’t help it. so i added…
and i’ll be voting for Obama
we looked at each other. in one of those moments.
and we high-fived it, laughing out loud.
bam!
she leaned over the counter
he’s, ah… um, half, um, black. and the other part, um, ah, is white.
and, um, ah maybe he can bring peace.
i was thunderstruck. and understood this:::
we have to become important to this black white stranger.
we have to become his obsession.
we have to give ourselves to him.
and expect. demand he do the same.
we have to give him something greater to lose.
than power. or money. or fame.
but whatever holds people like us, people here at DD
whatever holds us to this urgency to protect life
diversity, freedom
whatever it is that makes us care
we have to pass it onto this man who made a speech four years ago
and swept us away
now. it is our turn.
to sweep him away.
with our love for the very least among us.
the homeless. the hungry. the confused.
the apathetic. the aimless. and all creatures.
it’s our job. to capture his heart and loyalty.
and let him know we get it… we all have to do it better, if we want a better world.
we can reach him, this Barack Obama. if we want to.
we can bring him with us.
yes. shop girl. we can. have peace. if we want it so.
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yes. we can.
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at daily orange
We must have hope — always!
the curse/blessing of all gardeners….
Now that’s a concept.
I went back to the GOS today for the first time in awhile. Dropped by the Cheers and Jeers pool and shared a little love.
Then I watched the recent diary list. wordsinthewind is right: the Hillary hate is breathtaking still. Between that and the damned “teeth,” I guess I’ll go back into hibernation.
Thanks for sharing that great anecdote. Very cool.
in the Netherlands. I am envious as you are in a far better and safer place. On Obama, let’s say questions remain. Is he, will he be more “reachable” than Bush. Yes that would be a given but if I had to vote Democratic it would be Dennis Kucinich.
Even though I have not been back to Europe for several years now it is not difficult to read our media crap infiltrating theirs.
Remember I don’t want to ride the Apocalyptic horse I just said I would. I have this ugly bad taste still in my mouth from 2006 and Pelosi’s non-impeachment and her Homeboy Security Bill. Hey, have we tazed any handcuffed pregnant women this week? I will have to check the lists.
is an apparent understanding that he needs our help. He can’t do it alone and he knows it. I’m hoping to see a radical shift in this country over the next couple of years, from looking to the government, complaining about the government, opposing the government, to taking personal responsibility and working in cooperation with a benign government committed to empowering people.
Obama can’t bring us peace, but if he uses the government to support our efforts, we can bring peace.
so quick from your new home. You out did yourself. This essay poem made me cry. Not because of Obama but because of the reason I was a supporter, my faith in people if given a choice between fear and hope. The good part of people. Sometimes we have no choice but to roll the dice for peace and decency over the so called realists.